Who Knew?
by Twilight Warrior 1994
Summary: Companion fic to my story Now What, focusing on Conner and M'Gann.
1. Chapter 1

Megan Morse stood awkwardly by some random tables in a corner, nervously fingering her close-cropped red hair, a very recent change from the shoulder length hair she'd had last week and for most of her life. It wasn't like she was some wallflower. If anything she was usually among those considered the lives of the party.

But this of course wasn't exactly her party. The party in question is the wedding of Jade Nguyen and Roy Harper, Jade being the elder sister of Artemis Crock, the first friend Megan made when she came to America five years ago. That's right, came to America. Five years ago.

You see, her mother was the American Marie Logan, a then teenage one-hit wonder actress who played the titular character on the less than popular tv show "Hello Megan", who went to Bialya to do volunteer work, her agent having told her it would be good PR. While there, she met Megan's father, a Bialyian man named M'ark M'orzz.

The two had the typical "famous girl meets humble boy, humble boy makes famous girl realize how shallow she's been, famous girl falls in love with humble boy and boy vice versa" story, marrying and having M'gann not long after. However, Biaylia, being under the rule of the tyrannical Beatriz, AKA Queen Bee, was often caught in the middle of some political coup against her that was bound to fail, and still is.

M'ark, eight year old M'gann and Marie, pregnant with M'gann's younger brother Garfield at the time, snuck into the more peaceful neighboring country of Qurac. M'ark, tired of the fighting and hate that he had witnessed for most of his life, renamed himself and M'gann simply Mark and Megan Logan, and opened the Logan Animal Sanctuary in Qurac along with his wife and children.

And it's not that M'gann didn't enjoy all the experiences she was privy to: it was just that she was always curious about American culture, having based herself from watching her mother's performance on "Hello Megan" and her parents having only returned to the states for the most dire of circumstances, and when they did they usually left their children in the care of family friend John Jones, Uncle J'onn to M'gann and Garfield.

Of course it didn't help that her strong resemblance to her red-haired, fair-skinned mother often made her a target for the ridicule of her Quraci schoolmates.

Five years earlier however, the past caught up with the Logan's in the form of Bialyian drones, who bombed the sanctuary and caused Mark's death, and very nearly Garfield's. Afterwards, M'gann fought with her mother, begging to be allowed to see America, though now it was to escape the pain of losing her beloved father. Marie refused, not wanting to lose her daughter as well.

Angered, M'gann ran away in the dead of night, talked her way onto a plane, and somehow made her way into the states, specifically Chicago, the home of Uncle J'onn. Though understandably surprised, John welcomed M'gann, but because his work often took him away from home, he enrolled M'gann in a private boarding school, Gotham Academy, in Gotham City as Megan Morse, in honor of her father. And that is where Artemis Crock comes into play.

Artemis was one of the students who did not live on the campus because she lived in Gotham City. She was also there on scholarship, something that caused a lot of the rich kids to look down on her. They looked down on M'gann too, but for other reasons. Among them, her always chipper attitude, her rather old school appearance and her strange name, but mostly for not coming from money.

Like they did the day Artemis and M'gann officially met. The rich girls had her cornered in the lunch room (scuse me, the "dining hall"), telling her how pathetic she was, to go back to her country, America for Americans, and everything else imaginable. It doesn't take much imagination for the cruelty of teenage girls.

And M'gann just stood there, trying not to cry, when someone tapped on the shoulder of the ringleader. The girl turned and was met with a punch to the nose, a punch that was enforced with ringed fingers and toughened knuckles.

The punch came from Artemis Crock, the tough looking blonde M'gann only knew from the few classes they shared, who usually hung out with Barbara Gordon, Zatanna Zatara, Raquel "Rocket" Ervin, and Bette Kane, some of the other not rich students, Bette being the exception, the girl who refused to comply with dress code rules, with **most** rules, wearing multiple rings and bracelets, wearing her skirt too short, etc.

Anyway, when she punched the girl, the usual hell broke loose. The rich girls started screaming, the rich boys chanted "cat fight", teachers jumped in to prevent anything worse and all three girls were taken to the administrators office. And M'gann tried to defend Artemis, saying how she had defended her, the school apparently enforced a "no tolerance" policy, though M'Gann got the feeling it wouldn't be so enforced if **she** had been on the receiving end of the punch.

Artemis was suspended for two weeks. M'Gann remained on the low-end of the popularity scale, though no bothered her as much as they had before. When Artemis finally came back to school, she walked right up to her school locker.

"I heard you tried to keep me from being suspended. Thanks."

M'Gann blushed, and tried to brush it off. "Well, I mean, I kinda owed you."

Artemis looked confused for a minute, and then it hit her. "Oh! That bitch screwing with you? Forget it. Tell you the truth, I'd take any reason to pop that little trick."

M'gann blushed even harder. Then Artemis, seeing her friends down the hall, threw one arm around M'gann's shoulders and towed her with her to greet them. It became an unspoken agreement between the girls that "Megan" was a member of their little gang, inviting her to sit with them at lunch, hang out after school, etc. After that, **no one** bothered M'Gann period for fear of Artemis' wrath.

It wasn't that she was a bully like the aforementioned rich girls. It was just that Artemis came off as a girl who was completely unafraid of others, always ready with a quick and witty comeback, and when it came to her friends she was less ready to use her words and more ready to use her fists, and unlike most of the rich kids, she knew how, having grown up in the slums of Gotham. Only those closest to her knew that that was not the case. Far from it.

And it went like that until graduation, after which M'gann went to college in Happy Harbor Rhode Island, alway keeping in touch with her friends and her mother and brother over in Qurac. At least, until five months ago, when Marie died in a vehicle accident that Garfield witnessed. Devastated, M'Gann returned home to bury her mother and bring her traumatized brother back, now his legal guardian.

Last week, for some reason even she didn't really understand, she found herself staring at herself in her bathroom mirror, scissors in her hand and most of her once shoulder-length hair gathered in the sink.

Right now though, she found herself wondering when it would be polite enough to leave so she could go home to Garfield. _I hope it's soon_, she thought, feeling guilty that she dumped her brother on some of his school friends, Tim Drake and Bart Allen.

"Hey girl!" That's Rocket, pushing her way though the crowd, a death grip on the wrist of a broad-shouldered man with black hair and blue eyes. M'gann knew him as Conner Kent, one of the groomsmen. Rocket pushes him at her, almost making him fall, pointing to him and saying "You. Dance with her," before disappearing into the crowd once again.

M'Gann blushes at her friends usual boldness, helping Conner right himself. "I'm sorry about her. She just... you know that thing in your brain that tells you what to and what not to say? She doesn't really have one of those."

Conner gives her the smallest of smiles, straightening his jacket. "It's fine. It sounds familiar."

M'Gann laughs slightly, stopping when he looks her in the face. An awkward minute passes with them just standing before Conner breaks it by saying "So, shall we..." leaving it at that, making it plain to M'Gann that she's more than free to turn him down. For some reason, it endears him to her. "I'd love to."


	2. Chapter 2

Conner Kent was sitting idly at a table, content to watch the people around him talk or dance. It wasn't like he was shy or anything. He just wasn't a social butterfly. Never had been.

The only child of top Daily Planet reporters Clark Kent and Lois Lane, Conner had a typical childhood. He did well in his school in Metropolis, staying away from the various clubs and teams it offered, and spent most of his vacations with his grandparents and his cousin Kara on their farm in Kansas, growing to be a very strong and fit young man, the spitting image of his blue-eyed black-haired father.

He just never really connected to anyone exactly, outside of his family anyway, especially his father, whom he held only second to God. And while his parents might have been a little concerned about when he hung back from the play groups in kinder garden or when he told them he didn't care to go to his senior prom, he didn't give it much thought.

When he went to Stanford in California, that changed. But not by his choice. His roommates, who were life long friends with each other, the red-haired freckle-faced Wally West and the blue-eyed black-haired Richard "Dick" Grayson, each generated enough energy and enthusiasm to power a small city on their own, and together they were like a force of nature.

Seeing Conner was often alone, they made it a point to include Conner in every activity they did that wasn't related to school, despite his objections. They dragged him around like he was an extra limb, taking him with them to clubs and outings with two of their other friends, named Roy Harper, also a red-head but with blue eyes, and Jackson Hyde, a quiet man of mixed race.

Truth be told, Jackson, who went by the nickname of Kaldur, was the one he connected best with, and they even wrote to each other when he went overseas in the Marines. When he admitted his interest in law enforcement, they made sure of his enrollment in the police academy, in Star City at his mother's insistence.

And now he found himself at Roy's wedding reception, having been made one of the groomsmen, feeling awkward in a suit and tie, and trying to stay under the radar. He saw Roy dancing with his new wife, Kaldur talking to a blonde woman, Artemis, the sister of the bride, at a table in a corner, Dick dancing with a bridesmaid named Zatanna Zatara, and Wally weaving through the crowd, clearly enjoying the open bar. _I guess everyone's enjoying themselves._

And then he saw another of the bridesmaids, a woman with very short red hair, standing off by herself. Megan Morse, that was her name. Earlier he'd seen her take an obligatory turn around the floor with the other groomsmen. She'd come off as a very happy, enthusiastic woman when he met her at the wedding rehearsals earlier in the week. He remembered her because when Artemis introduced them, she'd blushed and complimented the shirt he was wearing.

_Where's that energy now?_ He found himself asking, a little surprised that he cared. It was just that she looked so... forlorn, like she really didn't want to be here. _I can relate. _

And then the last of the bridesmaids, an African-American woman named Raquel, though Conner often heard the other women refer to her as Rocket, walked right up to his table and pulled out a chair, sitting down and kicking her shoes off.

"Whew! What is it about weddings that makes men think they have a shot with every available women around them, a shot they think they have to take?"

Conner is a little taken back, so he truthfully mutters "I couldn't say." Then she looks up at him, like she's surprised to see him. He looks away, and his eyes wander back to Megan, who's still standing off to the side. And he can't help thinking how the green bridesmaid dress complements her red hair and fair skin. The only thing marring the effect is the unhappy look on her face.

He can hear Raquel speaking, he's just not paying any attention. When she finally realizes this, Raquel follows his line of sight, then, seeing it's her friend, smiles, like it's all coming together to her. "I see."

Now she's got Conner's attention. "See what now?" She slips her feet back into her shoes and stands up, grabbing him by his forearm. "C'mon!", dragging him in the direction of her friend. And Conner tried to resist, but clearly Raquel was the female equivalent of Dick and Wally in the force of nature category.

"Hey girl!", she shouts out to Megan to get her attention, then literally throws Conner at her, and the ground, pointing at him and saying "You. Dance with her," then weaving back through the crowd.

A pair of hands helps him up, then straightens his jacket. Their her's. She's blushing, and she tells him "I'm sorry about her. She just... you know that thing in your brain that tells you what to and what not to say? She doesn't really have one of those."

Conner smiles a little. Why does that sound oh so familiar? "It's fine. It sounds familiar."

She laughs, and he looks at her, thinking how much better she looks now than she did just a minute ago. Then she notices him looking at her and she stops, turning her attention back to the crowd.

They stand in silence for a minute or two. Then Conner glimpses Raquel through the crowd, dancing with a man he doesn't know, and she must see him because he sees her mouth something like "Dance with her!", and making wild pointing gestures at Megan's direction.

"So, shall we..." unsure how exactly to phrase the question, half hoping she'd say no and half hoping she'd say yes. But apparently she sees something in his face, because she smiles and says "I'd love to."

She holds her hand out to him, and he takes it, leading them onto the dance floor. A slow number is starting. Then their dancing, and Conner can't help but think how perfectly Megan fits in his arms. Natural.

* * *

It's over much to soon for Conner's liking, and now almost everyone is gathered outside to watch the bride and groom drive off for their honeymoon. He and Megan are standing on the sidewalk a little ways back from the crowd, doing nothing other than enjoying the other's company.

"So, uh, how do you know the happy couple?" He can't help but ask. Her interactions with Roy and Jade were perfectly polite, but having seen her with the other bridesmaids, it makes him curious.

"I've known Artemis, the bride's sister, for a long time. Five years. She was the first friend I made at my school."

The crowd is starting to disperse. He can see Artemis, and Kaldur, just down from them, holding each other up, laughing loudly. If he didn't know better he'd think Kaldur is drunk. Then he sees Kaldur kiss Artemis. _Wow Kaldur. Didn't know you had it in you. _Megan notices him looking over her shoulder, and turns. They both watch as Kaldur hails a cab and they both get in.

Megan's smiling when she turns back around. It's the kind of smile that says _of course. I'd expect nothing less_. "What?"

She kinda shakes her head, still smiling. "Nothing. That is just completely and totally Artemis."

He thinks it over and retorts "It's not so much Kaldur."

"The guy she left with?" He nods. She just nods a little. Then the wind kinda picks up, and she wraps her arms around herself, rubbing her arms. Conner doesn't give it much thought when he takes off his suit jacket and wraps it around her shoulders. She puts her arms through it, and it's adorably large on her. Then they stand for another minute.

"Well, I should go." He can't say he doesn't feel a little stab of disappointment. He hails her a cab, watches as it drives off. He hails himself cab to return to the apartment he shares with Dick, who texts him saying he'll be late.

And he spends about ten minutes lying awake in his bed, thinking about her. When he finally drifts off, his dreams, which are a rare thing for him, are full of bright brown eyes and short red hair.


	3. Chapter 3

It's Saturday, April 28, just under a month since the wedding. M'gann is in her apartment in Star City, pulling a lasagna from her oven. Tonight is Girl's Night In. It's been a tradition since they were in school, and M'gann being a freshman live-in meant that she had a curfew, unless she had permission from a parent.

Marie was just happy she had friends to hang out with, so she gave it. But Artemis' mother and Zatanna's father, understandably, refused to let their daughters run around Gotham after dark. Hell, they didn't want them running around Gotham during the day!

So a compromise was reached. The girls would pick who's house to stay over in, usually Bette's or Barbara's, along with a parent to watch them. M'gann would cook something. She inisted and the girls were happy to indulge her. Growing up, this became a common, comforting gesture, the best way the girls knew to share their problems and feelings, like when Zatanna lost her father three years ago, or when Rocket got pregnant at eightteen.

But tonight it was her, Artemis, and Garfield. Zatanna and Barbara had to work, Rocket couldn't get a babysitter, and Bette had to attend one of her many social functions, this one for saving the yellow-bellied sap sucker or something like that.

"Is it almost ready M'gann? I'm starving!" That's Artemis. She and Garfield are in the living room, playing one of his video games. Surprisingly, Artemis was the friend of his sister's that Garfield connected best with, to her surprise as well. M'gann grins at her friends usual impatience. Then prays that Garfield doesn't pick up on it.

"Come into the kitchen please." They do, sitting at the small table. They both attack their portions as soon as they're dished up, like they haven't eaten in a week. It makes M'gann take pause. This is perfectly normal for Gar, especially the minute puberty kicked in. Artemis not so much. She always ate enough but usually there was almost always somthing left on her plate, and she didn't ask for seconds.

Now however she scrapes her plate clean, then helps herself to seconds. Then thirds. It kinda worries M'gann. There's a half a pan left when Artemis stops eating, always taking the leftovers home for herself and Paula. Garfield returns to his game. Artemis helps M'gann load the dishwasher, then helps herself to the carton of chocolate ice cream in the fridge.

"Artemis are you alright?"

"I'm starving! I know it's the weirdest thing for me. And this morning I couldn't keep my breakfast down. Couldn't all week for that matter."

It reminds M'gann of something, so she thinks it over. Artemis just sits at the table, legs crossed, enjoying the fruits of Ben & Jerry's labors. Then it hits her. Rocket. All through her pregnancy the normally health conscious Rocket ate about three times more than she normally did, half of it junk food. Probably because she threw up what seemed like every five minutes.

"Artemis, are, um, you, um...?" It's not exactly the easiest thing to say, let alone phrase. Especially to Artemis. So M'gann takes a page from Artemis' book and just spits it out. "Pregnant?"

Artemis, a spoon in her mouth, bugs her eyes out of her head. "What?! No?! I mean, I don't think, um..."

Now M'gann's really afraid. "When? Who...?" Artemis takes her time answering, putting the spoon in the sink, returning the ice cream to the freezer, and getting out plastic wrap for the lasagna before turning around. "Do you remember Jackson Hyde? From Jade's wedding?"

Truth is M'gann best remembers Conner Kent from the wedding. But Jackson Hyde does kinda ring a bell. "Sorta. You two..."

"Uh huh."

"At the wedding?"

"Uh huh."

"Was it..."

"**Uh huh.** We both bombed out of our freaking minds but I remember. Mostly. And all I can say is damn. I have never experienced anything like it. He was more loaded than I was, and he **still**-"

"TMI. Just TMI." M'gann wasn't a virgin, but still hearing her friends sexual escapades was uncomfortable to her. "Were you guys safe?"

"Not exactly."

"Artemis!"

"I know, M'gann, ok, I know."

M'gann nods, though she's still a little freaked. "I know" from Artemis means that, however much she didn't want to, she'd do what was necessary. So she does what she thinks necessary. She pulls Artemis in for hug. Artemis stiffens at first like she always does then relaxes and reciprocates. "I'm here you know. Whatever happens."

She feels Artemis smile into her shoulder before she answers "I know."

M'gann's grinning when she pulls back. "Now, if you can wait for Garfield to go bed, I want to know about your night. In excruciating detail."

* * *

Meanwhile, miles away in Metropolis, Conner is having Saturday night dinner with his parents. His father insisted when he moved to Star City, having missed his son when he was in Stanford in California, and his mother wanted to make sure he had all his body parts after spending the week chasing down criminals. Conner didn't mind. It's pretty pleasant.

And tonight Kara's coming to visit. A visit from Kara always brightened up the week, for everyone in the Kent family. Like right now. She's regaling them with the latest tales of horror that come from volunteering in a help center in Metropolis.

Once, having seen all the things that went on there, Conner asked her why she did it. She told him simply "I don't do it for the glory. I don't do it for the recognition. I do it because it needs to be done. Because if I don't, no one else will. And I do it even if no one knows what I've done. Even if no one knows I exist. Even if no one remembers I ever existed." He never asked again.

"Anyway, the guy whips out knife. He's high on PCP or meth, I don't know, anyway. He lunges at his dealer, misses by like, ten miles, and comes at me. Brainic steps in front of me and throws me down, then he trips the guy. He hits his head on the way down, passes out cold. Brainy got a little knick on the arm but he's fine. He says hello." Brainiac, aka Jimmy Olsen, is Kara's boyfriend. Ridiculously high I.Q. and head over heels in love with Kara.

Clark shakes his head at his cousin's usual antics. Then he gets up from the table, picking up his and Lois' plate and takes them to the kitchen. Lois takes Kara's and Conner's and follows. Alone, Kara turns to Conner and says "What's wrong with you?"

"What?"

"Your quieter and brooding even more than usual. It's a girl isn't?"

"What?! No?! Maybe, kinda, um... Yes. Yes, there is."

Kara's mouth drops open, like a cartoon character. Clearly not the answer she expected. She grabs him by the arm and drags him to his bedroom, slamming the door behind them. She grabs him by the shoulders and shakes him, declaring "I need details! And go slowly! Is she really really pretty?"

"Beautiful."

"Smart, or an airhead who agrees with everything he says, hoping to bag an unsuspecting richie rich and is never gonna be anything more than a trophy wife?"

"Smart. And she never mentioned anything about money. I approached her."

Lois knocks on the door, having heard Kara's shouting. "Are you two alright?"

Kara yanks open the door, telling her "Conner likes a girl!"

"What!"

"Seriously Kara? This isn't high school you know."

"Shut up."

Lois ignores the both of them, calling out "Clark! Come here!"

Clark walks in. He sees his son's desperate face and Lois and Kara's happy, excited faces. He doesn't say anthing, but takes Conner by the shoulder and pulls him out onto the balconey of their apartment. "So, why are 2/3 of the Kent women spasiming in there?"

"I, may, have told Kara, that I met someone."

Clark's eyebrows raise a little but that's the gist of it. No one looking at him would know that hope for his sons happiness is blossoming in his chest. "A female someone?"

"Maybe. Yes."

Clark smiles. He doesn't want to push but he does want to put in his advice. "All I can say is treat her right, and let things go naturally."

"Dad, I danced with her at Roy's wedding. That's it. There's nothing going on."

"If you say so son. But you have to tell you mother that. It sounds like she and Kara are in there planning your wedding."


	4. Chapter 4

It's just after 4 o'clock on April 30th. Conner's sitting at his desk in Star City police precinct. In his hand is a scrap of paper with a phone number scrawled on it. Megan's phone number. Dick got it for him, how he would probably never really know, and all it cost Conner was one of Ma Kent's apple pies. And he had smirked that smug, know-it-all smirk he had all but patented when he gave it to him.

Now the only question was whether or not to call her.

If he called, she might think he was some creepy weirdo and hang up on him. If he didn't call he would be stuck with this unimaginable feeling for God knows how long. It was a cross between this jittery sensation, like having one too many espressos and being unable to sit for long periods of time, and involved a rock or something else that was hard and heavy setting up shop in the pit of his stomach.

Luckily, his contemplation is interuppted by Dick walking in and shouting "Hey Superboy, have you called her yet?" Conner looks around the precinct, not wanting the world to know a girl's got his boxers in a twist. Amazingly, they're alone.

By the by, Dick nicknames the people he especially likes, basing it off of some trait of the person. "Superboy" came based off of Conner's impressive strength, and the fact that most women just flocked to him like they were drawn by some magnet.

"Just tell the world why don't you Dick?"

He just grins and retorts "Fine with me." Like a testament to Conner's bad luck, Wally walks in, looking at some papers in his hand. Dick grabs him by the shoulder and says "Our little Conner likes a girl." He definitely gets Wally's attention.

"What! When! What?", looking from Dick to Conner back to Dick as he speaks. "Thanks, Dick, thanks ever so much." with as much sarcasm as he can possibly put into it. Again, smug know-it-all smirk.

Between Dick's aforementioned amirk and Wally staring at him, mouth agape, Conner roots around in his mind, grasping for anything that will get the attention off of him. "What about you and that brunette at the wedding, uh, uh, oh crap what was her name?"

"Zatanna." Dick's answer is quick and sure, and mostly wipes the smirk away. Now he's got Wally's attention. It wasn't a secret to anyone who knew him knew that Dick had a long string of ex girl-friends behind him, many of whom he somehow even stayed friends with.

Dick walks out of the precinct, Wally following behind, chattering away at a mile a minute like usual._ Now or never_, Conner thought. Slowly, he picks up his desk phone. Carefully, he punches in the number. The phone rings three times. And is finally met with an answering machine.

One that greets him with her voice, saying "Hi, this is Megan- "And Garfield!", a young boys voice cuts in. There's laughter now, along with "And we're not here right now so please leave a message at the beep."

He hangs up at the beep. He barely had the nerve to talk to her. There's no way in Hell he's gonna talk to a machine. He's a little disappointed. But honestly, he's kinda happy he got to hear her voice at all.

* * *

Right now M'gann's in her car, with Garfield in the front seat, on their way home from school. Garfield is chattering abou Bart's latest antics. This one involving a vending machine that refused to give up his chosen snack. "And then the next thing any of us know, Bart's stuck his hand up the thing. Then **he** gets stuck. Spent most of lunch and the afternoon like that."

"They got him out though, right?"

"Oh yeah, just before final bell. Lucky dog."

Megan shakes her head. Typical Bart. Their coming up to the red light at the corner of their building. And then things go to Hell. This car slams into the back of them, knocking them forward into the car in front.

"Gar! You alright?" M'gann's a little dazed, got a cut above her left eyebrow, but she's not seriously hurt. Not that she can tell.

"I-I'm okay." His hat's on a little more crooked than it was before but he doesn't look hurt. People are starting to gather around. Someone opens the driver's door and helps M'gann out. Same for Garfield. Someone calls an ambulance. The paramedics make M'gann sit in the back so they can check her over, then decide she needs an official once-over at the hospital.

M'gann and Garfield throw a fit for him to ride with her. He's forced to wait in the waiting room while M'gann's x-rayed. She's told she has a grade one concussion, meaning she'll have a massive headache for a few days, but there's no permanent damage.

She's left alone, having been told that a police officer is coming to take her statement. She hopes he or she or whoever makes it fast. She wants to see Garfield, hold him close and tight and make sure he's fine. She wants to promise him that everything is gonna be fine, even though she's not really sure it will be.

A brunettenurse in colorful scrubs who's name tag identifies her as Wendy pokes her head in the door and tells her "Ms. Morse? An officer is here to speak with you." M'gann sighs through her nose. _Just tell the truth as best you know, and do everything he/she says. Garfield's waiting._

An officer finally walks in. And it's **him**. Conner Kent, the man who has made an appearance in her dreams every night since the wedding. Right in front of her.

* * *

_**Short? Very, I fully realize that. But it's all I got.**_


	5. Chapter 5

_**Sorry if my cop talk isn't right. My only information comes from TV, thankfully.**_

* * *

_She's okay. Thank you God. _That's Conner. And he's right. Megan's a little paler than normal so that the bandage over her left eyebrow is almost unnoticeable against her skin, but she's not in any other noticeable way hurt.

He heard about the crash over the police blotter, and made it a point to check on her. Though he had to be careful about it. If his captain, Montgomery "Rubber" Neck found out, he'd find some way to get Conner in trouble. The man loved any chance to make himself look good, usually at the expense of his own officers. Everyone around the precinct hated him.

"Did you see my brother? Is he okay?" he barely knows her and yet he's completely unsurprised that that is her first question. And her brother, Garfield, is okay. Conner talked to him in the waiting room outside. The poor kid was shook up but not hurt.

"He's fine. Didn't see a scratch on him." She sighs and nods her head like the weight of the world was just lifted from her shoulders. She looks back to him and asks "Do you have to ask a question or first or should I just start talking?"

His eyebrow raises a little. "I'm sorry?"

"Aren't you the cop who's supposed to take my statement about the accident?"

"Oh, uh, no. Actually, your statement isn't necessary." At least, it hadn't been until Dick had talked to Officer Jason Todd, who was Dick's younger brother and the living stereotype of the badass cop who breaks the rules and yet manages to stay on the force, on Conner's behalf, telling him that Megan would probably be shaken up, and suffering from a concussion, making her a rather unreliable witness.

Since Jason all but kissed the ground Dick walked on, he did as he was told.

"Okay then", Megan drawing out the "o" to mark her obvious confusion, but since she turns away from him, Conner thinks it also says that she's not gonna question him on it. When she gets up from the hospital bed and starts gathering her things, he finds that he doesn't want his time with her to end so soon. "I'm just here to make sure you get home safely."

She looks at him with obvious surprise now. "Thank you, but that's not really necessary."

"You don't exactly have a car. Besides, it **is** necessary. Police procedure." It's not, in any way. If anything it could get him into trouble. But still, about ten or so minutes later, after filling out hospital forms, Megan is in the front and her brother is in the backseat of his car. Neither one speaks, except for Megan giving him directions, and from the way Megan keeps looking back at Garfield, that's not usual for him.

He makes it a point to walk them to their apartment. And it's not like Megan protests. If she had he wouldn't have done it. But she seems more preoccupied with her brother. She takes him straight to his bedroom and tucks him fully clothed into his bed. Again, Garfield doesn't make a sound.

Conner follows Megan to her kitchen and leans in the doorway, watching her flit around like a Wally after one powdered doughnut too many, pulling out ingredients and pulling dishes out of the dishwasher to put back in the cabinets. If she minds him being there, she doesn't voice it. Actually, even though she's giving off enough energy to power a small TV, he finds the scene rather comforting.

He doesn't like it when he finally turns to leave. But he knows that if he stays too long she'll probably call the cops on him, telling them to come pick up their man. Before he walks out the door, he hears Megan's quiet voice. "Conner?" He turns to look at her over his shoulder. She smiles at him and says "Thank you."

After that he's pretty much walking on air back to his car and his head is in the clouds driving home. Mostly because he doesn't remember telling Megan his first name.


	6. Chapter 6

This is how the rest of the month went; Conner would be sitting outside M'gann and Garfield's building in his car, waiting to taxi them wherever they asked. Garfield, apparently over his shock, loved telling his friends that a cop is his personal chauffeur, and constantly chattered the whole drive.

M'gann and Conner spoke little other than looking at the other through the corner of their eye and looking away if they thought the other was returning it. Neither would admit to whatever it is they have being anything other than a kind offer of help. M'gann didn't really bother to look for a new car and gave up after a few weeks, and took to offering Conner dinner, which he was all to happy to take, leaving promptly after.

Garfield's graduation came and went. He spent his days running wild around Star City with his friends and falling into his own bed once or twice a week in-between staying over at Tim's or Bart's, after scarfing down his dinner and telling M'gann all about their latest adventures.

Tonight was another ladies night in. Artemis made sure they would all show up, promising them she had something important to share. Which is why M'gann was in a grocery store, buying out the ice cream section. Conner was standing quietly beside her holding on to the shopping cart. "Artemis... she's the friend of yours that Kaldur left the wedding with, right?"

M'gann looked at him in surprise. She just vaguely mentioned to herself that this store didn't have the ice cream brand Artemis normally liked. Conner notes her surprise and shrugs, remarking simply "I'm a cop. Not to mention Kaldur's been acting pretty weird lately."

M'gann just takes it all in with a straight face. This was the first ladies night in Artemis would be attending since last month. Better to say nothing in case she's right about Artemis' news than to say something and be wrong.

* * *

Flash forward to around midnight.

The girls are gathered around M'gann's living room, like they did years earlier, sitting around in their pajamas, playing with each other's hair, painting their nails, wolfing down ice cream while watching the leads in an old soap opera plot their next move, or gossip about the latest shenanigans pulled by the celebrities in People magazine.

This was the time when nothing had changed. They were still friends, without jobs, or children to worry about. The only people they were in danger of letting down were themselves.

Artemis hadn't spoken about her "news" yet, despite badgering from Barbara and Rocket every few minutes, though M'gann had a pretty good guess, given that Artemis was on her third carton of chocolate Häagen-Dazs. M'gann caught her eye every now and then and Artemis would give her a little nod.

It was only when Alison Stewart had dressed up as Cane Ashby and was waiting for Amber Moore to walk down the aisle, which was how long it took Zatanna to give Artemis a fancy fishtail braid that she stood and turned off the T.V. to protest.

"Shut up. How many times have you seen this?"

"Not the point." Barbara spat out around a mouthful of coffee-flavored Häagen-Dazs.

"Close your mouth Gordon. If I don't tell you now I may never tell you." That got their attention. Artemis wasn't afraid to tell them anything, ever. It was a both very loved and very hated trait about her.

She took a deep breath first. One hand went to the bangs in her face, pushing them back while the other rested on her stomach. "Um... I'm pregnant."

Everyone except M'gann got quiet then, looking at Artemis like they were waiting for her to yell "Psyche!" or something. When a minute of silence passed, Artemis went to her purse, pulling out the sonogram she'd had taken at the doctor's office last month.

It was Rocket who spoke first. "What?!" After that they all talked at once, asking who the father was, what her plans were, everything that came to their shocked minds. M'gann was the only one who hung back, knowing fully that Artemis wouldn't talk until she knew she would be heard and understood. Eventually the others did to, and they ceased.

"The father is Jackson Hyde. I... met him, at my sister's wedding last month. He and I are meeting up tomorrow. This is the first time he's called me since I told him I'm pregnant last week."

Again, it was Rocket who spoke, having faced similar issues with the father of her son. "We're here you know. Always."

Artemis gave a small smile. "I know." Now M'gann took the chance to speak, standing up. "Group hug!" Artemis looked at her for a moment before remarking "What the Hell.", grabbing Bette and Zatanna and pulling them in with her.

* * *

_**Leave me some reviews to make me happy.**_


	7. Chapter 7

The months settled into a kind of pleasant routine for Conner and M'gann; he would pick her up in the morning and take her to work, then pick her up later and they'd have lunch together, making polite conversation about their family, their friends, their jobs. Later he'd pick her up after work and have dinner with her, and Garfield if he was home, leaving almost immediately after. The other had their number on speed dial.

Neither would admit to what they felt for each other being anything more than friendship. Not out loud anyway.

Today was the day things would change. And it all started with a phone call.

Katy Perry's Firework blasting from her phone is what woke M'gann at six a.m. on Friday morning. She blindly groped for it on her bedside table, knocking over a lamp and breaking its bulb in the process. It forced to shove her sleep mask up on her head to properly grab for it. She didn't check the caller id, she just knew that whoever was on the other end of the line would have Hell to pay.

"Hello?" Sleep was thick in her voice

"M'gann? Is Artemis there?" It was Paula Crock, Artemis' mother. And she sounded like she was on the verge of a breakdown. M'gann knew the sound. "Mrs. Crock?"

"Is Artemis there?" No formality. No attempt at politeness. She just cut straight to the point. **Definitely** worried. "No, ma'am, she isn't. Is something wrong?"

"It doesn't look like she's been home at all since yesterday. I called the other girls before you. They all say she's not with them either." Paula definitely had M'gann's attention, who propped herself up on her elbows in bed. However wild Artemis might be, she loved her mother, and would sooner cut her own throat than do anything to make her worry.

"Do you know what she was doing yesterday?"

"She had coffee with Jackson Hyde."

"Did you call him? Maybe she stayed over with him." She heard Paula sigh over the phone. "I didn't even think about him. Thank you M'gann." She hung up. M'gann did the same, pulling her mask back down over her eyes before she rolled back over in bed to catch the last few precious moments of sleep before her alarm clock rang.

Don't worry, she never went back to sleep. Worry was too busy taking up shop in the pit of her stomach. She just layed awake in bed until the clock sounded its shrill buzzer signifying another day.

* * *

Four hours later when M'gann hadn't heard from Artemis saying her mother chewed her out to Hell and back for her little disappearing act, she took a minute duck outside the back of Bibbo's, the diner she worked at, braving the chance of developing lung cancer from her more cigarette happy coworkers to call the first person she thought of.

Conner Kent.

"M'gann? Everything okay?"

"Yes? No. I'm not sure."

"Okay..." She took a breath. "The mother of one of my friend's called me this morning. She told me that it looks like she never came home yesterday. Her name is Artemis. Artemis Crock."

Conner felt his stomach drop. Kaldur, Roy's wife and his mother-in-law just came in, saying the same thing. Roy found Artemis' car abandoned, and prints on it that came back to a dangerous felon. "Sorry M'gann I haven't heard anything."

There was a pause on M'gann's end. "You know I know your lying right?" Conner sighed. The first thing he noticed about M'gann was that she easily seemed to know what a person was thinking despite what their mouths were saying. It didn't matter if it was face to face or over the phone

"I know. Look, M'gann, I can't tell you anything now. Mostly because there's not much **to** tell. I promise you when there is you'll be the first person I call. Okay?" M'gann sensed dishonesty, but didn't think she could get a better deal. "Okay."

* * *

Conner felt nauseated. He was looking at Artemis on a computer screen, handcuffed and bound to a bed, wearing clothes that didn't match the ones Kaldur had seen her in yesterday and in a room that closely resembled her own bedroom according to her mother.

He'd promised M'gann he'd tell her if anything came up. But he couldn't stand looking at this. He didn't want M'gann to have to think about it.

His hand twitched to the phone on his desk. Just for a minute, before being pulled in the opposite direction. Dick was trying to triangulate the computer feed but they couldn't even be sure where she was. M'gann would understand. Right?

* * *

M'gann stood outside the back of Bibbo's again, on break, cellphone to her ear. She'd been distracted all day, screwing up orders and the like, her hand twitching to her cellphone in her apron pocket. If she could have helped it she would have. Conner had yet to call. Whether that was a good or bad thing was what drove her fear.

"Hello?" Conner's voice was apprehensive. He obviously knew something that he didn't want to tell her.

"Have you heard anything about Artemis?" M'gann hoped the fear evident in her voice would compel him to tell her the truth. "Sorry M'gann there's nothing." Dishonesty shone through.

"I promise you I can take it."

"I'm sure you could M'gann, if there was anything to tell." Now his words were colored patronizing. She heard someone speaking in the background, hearing " We've got a location on..." before it became muffled, and she figured Conner must have covered the phone with his hand. "M'gann I have to go."

"Is it Artemis?" She knew her tone was laced with the anger she felt, but she was too worried and angry to do anything about it. Conner must have heard it too, because it was a minute before he answered "Yes."

"What?"

"I have to go M'gann, I'll see you later. Bye." M'gann stood out in the back alley, frozen in place until Bibbo went looking for her.

* * *

Now all the funs over. Garfield's in his room, playing his latest video game, perfectly unaware of the troubles that had taken place that day. M'gann is standing in her kitchen, mindlessly scrubbing already perfectly clean dishes.

What she really wants is to rush straight over to the hospital Artemis has been taken to, to fuss over her, to cry with her if that's what she wanted, which she would have done had Zatanna not called and told her that the police and doctors weren't letting anyone who wasn't Artemis' blood family see her.

Her still boiling blood worried her.

Now M'gann was not by nature an angry kind of person. That was usually Artemis' domain in her circle of friends. But the idea that Conner didn't think she could handle any news about her oldest of friends, her sister, made her see red. He'd called her twice in the past thirty minutes, perfectly happy to talk **now**.

_Knock knock knock. "M'gann? I know your here. Please?" _Now he's at her front door. And M'gann has no intentions of letting him in.

* * *

_**I have mixed feelings about this chapter, but I feel bad for not updating in so long.**_


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